The Sixth China-Australia S&T Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) was held in Canberra on October 31st 2006. Vice Minister CHENG Jinpei headed a delegation to attend and co-host the meeting with Deputy Secretary Grahame Cook of Australian Department of Education, Science and Training.

Vice Minister CHENG briefed the Australian side on China’s National Medium and Long-term S&T Development Plan. Deputy Secretary Grahame Cook made introduction to S&T institutions and future development in Australia. Sharing common grounds in priority areas and great potential for collaboration, the two sides agreed to set up three joint research centers in areas of stem cell, genomics and nano-science. The JCM also witnessed the identification of the 5th round of cooperative projects supported by China-Australia Special Fund for S&T Cooperation. In the coming 2007, the Australian side will select a young scientist delegation on a visit to China and hold China-Australia Seminar on S&T Policy.